Returning Home/A New Life
by Lumen
Summary: The story of Amy's return, and the new life that envelops her. R&R, Please! Flamers are welcome, due to the fact that they are usually pretty funny. Other reviewers are, naturally, welcome as well.
1. Andrew

Disclaimer: I do not, I repeat, do NOT own Harvest Moon, Amy is the ONLY character I have in here, SO GO ANNOY SOMEONE ELSE YOU FRIGGIN LAWYERS!!!!!  
  
My first HM fanfic on this site...Flame all you want, I think flames are downright hilarious. Of course, all other reviewers are welcome as well!  
  
ON TO THE STORY.  
  
~~~  
  
'I'M GONNA BE LATE!' The thought screamed at him, as he darted out the door, pulling on his blue cap. He ran as fast as he could to the beach, and was just in time, as the ferry pulled up to the docks a few moments after he got there.  
  
"Close call, man..." Cliff laughed, "The mayor had this huge look of relief on his face just as you showed up...I think he's gonna introduce you to her specifically, since you've got the biggest farm on the island, and the best, even after it was a complete dump..."  
  
Andrew grinned at this, but Cliff nudged him before he could say anything, pointing to the dock. "That must be her, Andrew."  
  
Andrew looked over, and saw a figure step off the boat, laden with what must be fairly heavy bags, then begin walking down the dock.  
  
'Why isn't anyone offering to help her carry her bags??' He thought, as he moved past Grey to do just that. Grey knew what Andrew was about to do, and grabbed his arm, holding him in place.  
  
"Don't. She can carry her bags on her own. Besides, I've known her to become touchy when it comes to her stuff...My cousin is a real pain..." He warned him, and Andrew didn't go any closer, but stood and watched as she stepped easily into the sand, walking towards Mayor Thomas with a brillant smile.  
  
"Amy, welcome back to Flowerbud Village!" Mayor Thomas's voice rang out, and everyone began to clap, and cheer.  
  
"Thank you guys...I'm glad to be home, among friends and family who I have missed very much..." She looked out over all of them, "And for those of you whom I have not yet met, I am looking forward to doing so."  
  
She grinned to Ann and Grey, walking towards them, a few strands of brown hair falling into her face as they escaped her ponytail.  
  
"Would you like me to help you with your bags, Amy?" Ann laughed, and Amy nodded a bit.  
  
"Yeah...Thanks. I'm surprised Grey let you ask...He seems to think I'm still the impossible brat he had to baby-sit when we were kids..." She snickered, and handed Ann the two lightest bags of the five. It took a minute to make sure the straps of the other three weren't cutting into her shoulder, and they walked up the beach, Karen soon joining the two, talking and laughing. Andrew blinked a moment, before remembering the colt he was supposed to pick up from the Green Ranch, and went with Grey to get her. 


	2. Amy

Though Karen had to go home, as they entered Green Ranch Ann continued to chatter on about what had changed since she had left, Amy listening to what she said, occasionally asking questions, but usually remaining silent, except to laugh once in a while. Ann unlocked the door that adjoined the shop to the house, and tossed her a key.  
  
"This door is always locked, so you'll need this. Your room is the same one as before, last one in the upstairs hall." Ann told her, Amy nodding in response, before leading the way up the stairs. Ann opened the door for her, and Amy stepped in, smiling contentedly. She sat her bags by the wall, before turning to Ann.  
  
"How's Cliffguard been?" She asked, and Ann sighed slightly.  
  
"He's no where near the champion you raised him to be...He threw Grey, and we've never found anyone else that's good enough to bring out Cliffguard's full potential..."  
  
"Hmm..." She shrugged a bit, "Ann, would you mind leaving for a bit, I've got to change..." Ann nodded, and left, shutting the door behind her. Amy sighed softly, and pulled the two bags Ann carried over to the wardrobe, unzipping them, and pulling out her clothes. Jeans, shorts, shirts, a few dresses, socks, and three pairs of shoes; sneakers, dress shoes, and hiking boots. She pulled open the drawer in the bottom, putting the folded shorts, shirts, and socks into it. The dresses and jeans were put on hangers, and hung in the top of the wardrobe, with the shoes sitting on the bottom. She smiled, lifting out something in a bag, already on a hanger, and placed it on a small hook in the back of the closet. Next to the other shoes, she placed a shoebox, obviously with another pair of shoes in it. She swiftly pulled out a pair of dark blue cut-off jean shorts, and a black tank-top. Her voice was soft, as she began to sing, memories washing over her, slipping out of her dress, and into the clothes she had picked out. Hiking boots were pulled silently onto socked feet, and tied, before she stood up and walked to a fairly heavy bag, unzipping it, reaching in, and pulling out a hairbrush, and a black hairband. Her hair fell loose to her waist as she began to brush it, before pulling it into a ponytail to keep it out of her face, and off the back of her neck. She smiled, and after slipping the key to the hall into her pocket, she went down to the shop, and opened the door, stepping out. 


	3. Andrew

He walked down the road with Cliff and Grey, then out into the pasture, where three colts stood. A white, a black, and a chestnut. He ran his hand down the back of the white, who gave a whinny, before moving away. The other two wouldn't let him near, and he blinked slightly.  
  
"I dunno...The white is the only one who will let me anywhere near her...I guess I'll go with her...She seems to be the most intelligent, as well..." He shrugged, looking to Grey and Cliff.  
  
"Actually, Andrew, they won't let anyone near...The white lets Ann, and that's it...It's really very strange." Grey told him, and Cliff nodded.  
  
"No kidding...And she only let Ann that once...I can't help but wonder-" Cliff never got to finish his sentence, as he was interrupted.  
  
"If you plan to use her for breeding, the white is useless. She's a born racer, as is the brown. That black, though, she's stronger than the other two when it comes to breeding, and she'd be the best." Came Amy's voice from the fence, as she leaped it, and began walking towards the three. "About the problem with not letting anyone near, that's easily solved. They don't know who to trust. Besides, Andrew, you went about it all wrong."  
  
He blinked, and an eyebrow raised, as he tried to ignore whatever it was about her that made him feel so...Oddly. "Oh really, then please show me what I was supposed to do." He replied, a bit coldly. She smiled, and put her fingers to her lips, blowing out a soft, comforting whistle. The three colts turned, and trotted back to them, heads high, tails swishing.  
  
"We'll leave this in your hands, Amy." Grey said, and turned, walking off with Cliff. Andrew looked to his friends, and would have whimpered and asked them to wait up, if Amy hadn't been standing right next to him, watching him silently.  
  
"So, are you going to show me what I should have done?" He managed to say, without any stammering or hidden whine in his voice. She nodded, and moved closer to him.  
  
"Alright, let me see your hands." She said, and he blinked, holding out his white gloved hands. She held his right wrist in her hand, and slipped off his glove, before doing the same with his left, and putting the gloves in the chest-pocket of his overalls. He blinked, but said nothing, watching her quietly.  
  
"Now, take your hand, and hold it out in front of you, palm down. You have to let them trust you. Be careful not to spook any of them, as the black will be a bit more edgy than the others." She murmured, and he did what she said. The white stepped forward, curiously nuzzling his outstretched hand, the chestnut and the black doing the same as soon as they felt it was completely safe. Slowly, he reached his other hand out, stroking the black's neck, and though she tensed for a moment, she didn't run away. He smiled a bit, and moved his hands away, pulling on his gloves.  
  
"The mares don't like the feel of the gloves. I think they feel that you are hiding something..." She told him. "Are you going to take the black?"  
  
"Yes...I'll name her Midnight. A bit original, perhaps, but I like it all the same." He grinned, and Amy stepped forward, gently stroking the nose of Midnight, murmuring softly to her, smiling as she gave a soft whinny, before following Amy as she walked towards his farm.  
  
Andrew stood there, watching her as she walked away, taking in every detail, from her black hiking boots, to the way a few strands of hair fell into her face as they escaped from her ponytail. He was dazed, not believing how nervous he had been when she was near. 'No other girls ever had that effect on me...' He thought, 'Something about her though...'  
  
He shook his head, and remembered that he had forgotten to feed his animals in all the excitment and rush of the day. He cursed softly, before putting his hands in his pockets, walking towards his ranch quickly, not exactly paying any attention to what was in front of him. 


	4. Amy

She smiled, leading the hyper little colt into the stable, talking to her to comfort her, though she doubted the horse could understand her.  
  
"Andrew is going to take good care of you, Midnight...I know he will." She murmured, before stepping out, looking to the ground instead of where she was going as she left the ranch. Then suddenly, she ran right into someone, falling backwards onto the ground. She stood up quickly, very embarrassed, but even more so when she realized it was Andrew.  
  
"I'm sorry, I should have been watching where I was going." She said quickly, a bright blush coloring her cheeks.  
  
"I wasn't exactly paying attention to anything but the ground either...It's not your fault, Amy." She heard him say, before swiftly moving around her, and towards the barn. She relaxed slightly, and walked silently to Karen's house, her heart racing. She accidentally bumped into Kai, who blinked, watching her as she ran into the house.  
  
"Sasha, is Karen home?" She asked, looking to her friend's mother.  
  
"Why, yes, Amy, she is. She's up in her room, go on up." Sasha smiled to the girl, and laughed softly as she saw her race up the stairs.  
  
Amy knocked on the door, waiting impatiently to be let in.  
  
"Who is it?!" She heard a voice filled with feigned annoyance shout.  
  
"It's me, Amy! Karen, I realllly need to talk to you!"  
  
"Alright, come on in, Amy." A laughing voice called.  
  
She opened the door, and glanced to her best friend, who was relaxing happily on the bed, reading a magazine. A soft sigh escaped her lips, and she rolled her eyes.  
  
"You'll never change, eh Karen?" She said, walking to sit on the floor, leaning against the bed.  
  
"Nope. Well, maybe a bit. But still." Karen grinned brightly. "Now, what was it you wanted to talk about?"  
  
"Andrew..." She blushed, looking down at her hands.  
  
"You've got a thing for the farmer boy, don't you..." She snickered, closing her magazine and tossing it to the side.  
  
"Yeah...Kinda...I dunno..." She sighed softly. "It's strange."  
  
"Hmm...Well, you certainly have some competition, Amy...Popuri likes him too..." Karen told her, and Amy sighed.  
  
"Oh joy of joys...Popuri has the charm, the kindness, the beauty..." She growled.  
  
"You don't have to worry about the beauty part, Amy. You and I are equal in that, and we all know I'm prettier than her."  
  
Amy sighed again, shrugging.  
  
"Come on, Amy! The Goddess Festival is in two days...You'll blow him away in that Goddess costume that you recieved from your mother..."  
  
Amy brightened a little.  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"You can wear your hair down...It's silky, and flowing...He won't be able to see anyone but you...Well, except for maybe me..." She grinned, and Amy laughed.  
  
"Yes, you're awfully loud...Who couldn't notice you?"  
  
Karen pretended to glare, and punched Amy's shoulder. They both stood, and walked to the door.  
  
"I'll race you downstairs!" Karen said, and they both darted down the stairs. Amy reached them first, and took them all in one leap, landing lightly on the carpet.  
  
"I win!" Amy giggled. 


End file.
